A local’s guide to Porto, Portugal

On the steep banks of the Douro, Portugal’s northern jewel gleams with culture, buzzing restaurants, bars and artisan shops, plus cool places to visit and stay

Sitting in my customary Porto cafe, a non-descript place on Praça Carlos Alberto across from my kids’ school, a troupe of Asian tourists march by. They are sheltered under umbrellas, heads down, following their guide in an orderly step to the next tourist honeypot.

For a whistlestop visit to Portugal’s delightful second city, a guided tour is probably a good idea. Porto’s tourist route is now well-worn, but wonderful nonetheless.